Mercruiser Bravo winterizing - outdrive lube change.
 

Greetings folks,

I'm helping a buddy get his Mercruiser ready for the winter, and was
trying to make sure I'm right in thinking he has been misinformed.

His boat is a 2001 (new for him this year) and apparently the previous
owner had been told my his mechanic not to change the outdrive lube
until it was absolutely necessary to break the seal on the outdrive.
Thus, my friend is running with 3-4 year old lube in there, and
thinking he still shouldn't change it.

I've never heard such guidance before, but again, I've never worked
with a newer Mercruiser that had a outdrive lube reservior. I was
planning to convince him to go ahead an change the outdrive lube -
does that make sense?

Thanks for your guidance,

Rich

Good God yes, make him change it.
Find out who this "mechanic" that fed the prior owner that bull**** is and
advise everyone to stay far away from that idiot.
FWIW, I change outdrive lube every 50 hours, but mine is a high performance
application.


"Rich" wrote in message
om...
Greetings folks,

I'm helping a buddy get his Mercruiser ready for the winter, and was
trying to make sure I'm right in thinking he has been misinformed.

His boat is a 2001 (new for him this year) and apparently the previous
owner had been told my his mechanic not to change the outdrive lube
until it was absolutely necessary to break the seal on the outdrive.
Thus, my friend is running with 3-4 year old lube in there, and
thinking he still shouldn't change it.

I've never heard such guidance before, but again, I've never worked
with a newer Mercruiser that had a outdrive lube reservior. I was
planning to convince him to go ahead an change the outdrive lube -
does that make sense?

Thanks for your guidance,

Rich

I change mine every season and have never heard anything like what you
are relating. There's no "seal" that I'm aware of and you don't change
the reservoir unless you are changing the type of lubricant, for
instance changing to synthetic. You should also be checking the lube
fowater, the gimbal bearings, bellows, U-joints and lubricating all
those things that need lubricating. I don't do this, by the way. My
mechanic does; I just speak the language!

Capt. Jeff